Lost in Solitude
by Grendle1853
Summary: An attempt at a "World's Finest" type story. Starts in the Batcave and goes into all things Kryptonian.
1. Chapter 1

I would like to ask anyone who owns these characters to find it in their hearts not to sue me.

As always I would like to thank my BETA Hepburn, without whom this may be illeagable (see what I mean?) This story takes place in the same continuity to "New Situation" and everything else that is connected to that, however you don't really need to read any of that to get this one.

...

It is approximately one hour before the time for his charge to do his patrol, and Alfred Pennyworth is busying himself with normal household duties. Suddenly there is a loud banging on the manor's front door. Unconcerned Alfred walks over to the door, grabs the hidden double barrel shotgun (just in case), and looks through the peephole. Surprised by whom he sees on the other side, he quickly puts the shotgun back in its hiding place and opens the door. "Ms. Lane?!" He asks.

Lois rushes past him and into the manor shouting, " I Love ya Alfred but I don't have time to chat!" over her shoulder. The reporter runs straight to the study and quickly opens the entrance behind the grandfather clock, before running down the stairs.

The Batman had been checking over his gear, and when he heard the sound of the secret door that connects the cave to the manor opening he thought it was Alfred. That thought is proven wrong though when the noise of high heels on stone steps reach his ears. By the sound of the steps he is able to rule out either Diana and Barbra, so he readies a Batarang and is surprised when the image of Lois Lane stomping into view shouting, "Bruce!"

The Dark Knight puts away his weapon and waits as Lois stops in front of him and begins panting in breaths. "Lois?"

"I need...your help," she answers, still trying to catch her breath.

"I gathered." he answers, " You couldn't have called before flying all the way to Gotham?"

"I didn't fly, I had the League teleport me here," she answers, "and I could have been put right at your front door instead of two miles away if you weren't so damn paranoid!"

In a calm and slow voice Batman asks, "What is it that you need my help with Lois?"

"Its Clark, he's missing. He has been missing for five days!" She tells him.

"Why hasn't the League done something yet?" he asks her.

"Well, two days before he disappeared he told them that he would be working in the Fortress for awhile and that they shouldn't worry," Lois explains.

Under his cowl the Batman's eyebrows raise, "Don't you think that means he's still in the Fortress?" he asks.

"Its up in the arctic, and its built to block communications, you know hence Fortress of freaking Solitude, and all of the so called 'superheroes' are too busy to help me, so how the Hell am I supposed to know?!" she shouts back. "Which is why you have to get your gloomy pointy eared butt up there and find out!"

The Batman's head cocks to one side for a second. "Lois, I have to go on patrol," he tells her.

"Is the Joker loose?" she asks, giving him an evil eye.

"What...no," he answers.

"Then one of your sidekicks can handle it!" she tells him. Her shoulders fall, "Look Bruce, he got in touch with me, twice a day, for two days before he went missing."

"Lois I have things to do, and I'm not Clark's babysitter," Batman answers.

"Of course you are," Lois says back. The Batman blinks at that. "Clark Kent, Kal-el, Superman, whatever you want to call him, looks after the whole world. Only a few people look after him. One of those people is me and," she pokes her finger at his chest, "another one of those people is you!"

The Batman's fists clench and he stretches up to his full hight. "Fine," he answers.

In answer Lois throws her arms around him in a hug and buries her head in his chest. "Oh thank you Bruce, I'm so worried."

The Batman sighs and pats her on the head.

...

A little while later the Batwing silently lands at Superman's Fortress of Solitude. The Batman gets out and begins systematically searching the area. While he does not find his friend, he does come across the Phantom Zone Projector. It is turned on and seems to be projecting a portal onto the wall. According to the machine it is a portal to the Phantom Zone, however the landscape on the other side looks nothing like it.

Whenever the Batman has seen the Phantom Zone, it has looked like a swirling red and black void, in which its inmates floated. The space on the other side of the portal has a definite ground and a definable sky, and is filled with bizarre "plants". However the only colors visible on the other side are still red and black.

The Batman pulls out a device from his belt. He turns it on and links it to the frequency of his JL communicator, boosting the signal. "Batman to Metrotower," he says through it.

"Tower reads you Batman, but barely. Where are you transmitting from?" Mr. Terrific asks.

"Doesn't matter, just assemble a team and send it to my location," he answers. As he does he shoots a grapple into the portal. He watches it fly into it and come back, seemingly unaffected.

"I'm sorry Batman, but we don't have anyone to send right now," Terrific answers.

The Batman steps forward and sticks the end of a probe through the portal. As information about the environment on the alien world passes over the lenses of his cowl he retorts, "What the hell do you mean no one? This is a priority rescue mission, split some members off from the field teams and beam them down here."

"Every League Member on Earth is currently working on one crisis or another, and a good amount of our forces are 'out of town'. Way 'out of town'. As soon as someone becomes available I'll send them to you, until then I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do," he answers.

"Terrific," Batman says before he cuts the transmission. He looks through onto the eerie red world before him. "Kent, there are days when I truly dislike you," he says as he steps through.

...

_TBC, tell me what you think everybody!_


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to all my reviewers, and a very special thank you to my BETA Hepburn! And here is chapter 2...

...

From the outside most would have seen nothing more than a moving shadow beneath the vegetation. That shadow is the Batman, as he makes his way across the hot alien terrain. _If this is the Phantom Zone, then the prisoners are probably still lurking about, _he thinks to himself, _The Kryptonians used to imprison the worst of their criminals here, be they Kryptonian or off-worlder. And the League sent Doomsday here. If any of the prisoners survived whatever it was that reshaped this place, I'm willing to bet it's him._

It takes him over a day, but eventually he stops in sight of a crude settlement, built with hastily shaped wood and foliage, easily just the work of a few days. Moving about and around the makeshift buildings are what look like humanoids carrying crudely made spears and stone knives.

As he watches the Dark Knight doesn't truly see or hear anyone, but he knows he is being watched, and that the silent predator is sneaking up behind him. He doesn't outwardly react; instead he quietly palms a sharp batarang. With quickness on par with a Shin obi, a hand pulls back his head as another presses the edge of a knife against his neck.

"Primitive," the Kryptonian mocks, "you should know better than to meddle in the affairs of your betters! Now I'm going to put you back in your..." The alien doesn't get to finish his sentence. Before he can utter another word, the batarang is lodged into his wrist and a hand reaches back and closes like a vice around his neck.

Making as little noise as humanly possible, Batman pulls him over his shoulder and onto the ground, not releasing pressure until the Kryptonian loses conscience. He then drags his victim away a good distance before tying and gagging him.

That being done he makes his way back to the camp, now even more watchful for surprises, he tries to make out the heaviest guarded structure. Once he knows that, he flings a batarang in a wide arc. The projectile flies up then arcs past the settlement into a "tree" which stands on the other side. Three seconds later the tree is destroyed in a loud, bright, and very distracting explosion.

As the inhabitants of the settlement investigate the blast, the Batman rushes forward. He quickly reaches the structure, silently knocks out the guard inside, and finds Superman inside in about the state he was expecting him to be. The Man of Steel is slumped half dead and tied to a stake. With all haste he frees his friend, throws him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and flees as if hell itself is after them. Which it very well might be as for all he knows.

As Batman runs through the forest, Superman seems to come to. "Bruce...that you?" he asks in a weak voice.

"Who were you expecting?" Batman asks.

You can hear the small smile in Kent's voice when he answers, "Diana."

...

After the two put a few miles between them selves and their pursuers they stop to rest and compare notes. "So Lois told you I was missing?" Superman asks. When Batman nods he continues, "Well I guess my not checking in for two weeks would worry her."

The Batman sighs, "Well that explains why our backup hasn't gotten here," Superman looks at him confused, "You've been gone for less than a week Kent. Time flows slightly differently here than back home. I did a small test before I stepped through which I thought proved that wrong, but I guess the dilation doesn't kick in until you move further away from the portal."

"So that means we aren't getting any help any time soon?" he asks.

"Relatively..." The Batman takes a sip of water then tosses the canteen back to his friend, "What happened?"

Superman takes a generous gulp, wipes his mouth, and says, "I was working with the Phantom Zone Projector. I was using it to catalog all the inmates and cross reference them to the Krypton sphere."

"Why?" Batman asks.

"I was looking to see if someone tried to use the Zone to escape the planet's destruction, in the hope that one day someone would find them and help them. That was my...Jor-El's original plan, and the reason why he sent the Projector with me in the first place," he explains. "While I was working in my Fortress there was a bright red flash, then I found myself in the Zone. While I floated there all around me the shapeless void was transformed into this," he gestures the land around them. "I didn't even know there was a portal or even if the Projector survived. I knew my powers wouldn't last long in this red light, so I spent the first few days flying around looking for a secure campsite. I thought I found one too, until that gang of Zoners showed up. They recognized me as Jor-El's son and wanted revenge. I used what was left of my powers to fight them off for a few days, then I did my best to avoid and evade them, but eventually they got me."

The Batman nods, "Well we've put some distance between us and them, and if they do show up again I have a few surprises for them. But they aren't who I'm worried about."

"Yeah I know, Doomsday's here too. But if he is some sort of weird clone of me, that means his powers should be gone too," Superman says, "You don't think that he's responsible for the changes here do you?"

"Not unless you can break through dimensions by punching. But I'm fairly certain he will still be big with a lot of bone spikes," he answers.

Clark agrees. "Well after we rest for a bit we'll get back on the move, we should be able to make it back to the portal in a few hours right?"

"As long as it is still open and hasn't moved," Batman answers.

"Bruce it would have been really nice if you would have just said 'yes' to that," Superman says, tossing him the canteen.

"Hmm," Batman says before taking a swig of water. "So Clark, why were you hoping to see my wife?"

_..._

_TBC. I'm basing Doomsday off of the DCAU version not the comic version, which I know is different. Tell me what you think guys!_


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for the reviews everyone, and thank you for your help Hepburn! Without further ado, here's chapter 3!

...

After the heroes had rested they got up and traveled for hours walking in the direction of the portal that would lead them home. Though the two didn't talk, the silence between them was pleasant and along the way they seemed to almost enjoy the hike. That was until... "RRRIAALLRAA!" something screamed right before it jumped into view in front of them.

The creature stood several feet taller than either of them and was about twice as long. It is almost worm like, with a long serpentine body and a large gaping mouth. Along either side of the beast protruded points limbs, and towards the front two large limbs reached up and bent down to stick into the ground and hold the creature up. The bottom of the thing was a lighter colored than the top and four black eyes dot the top of its head as it screeched at them.

" A friend of yours?" Batman asked.

"Not last time we met," Superman answered.

The creature screamed again and launched itself at them. The two men dodge to either side and squared off against it. The beast which seemingly remembers him from before, turns to Superman and scythes its massive right limp at him. With the creature distracted, the Batman leaps up onto its tail, scurries up its back, and stabs a sharp batarang into it's back left eye.

The beast goes mad with pain and begins thrashing about in an attempt to throw Batman off. As it does this, Superman rips off a large leafy bit of fern like material from an alien tree and, mindful of the things wildly swinging forelimbs, jams it as hard as he can into the creature's large gaping maw. Batman then lets go of the blade stuck into the beast's eye, grabs it by the top lip of its mouth, and somersaults over its head, throwing a black ball into its fern filled mouth as he does. The ball explodes and sets fire to the plant material in the monster's jaws. The creature, now having had enough of the two heroes, coughs up as much of its burning meal as it can, then turns tail and runs off.

The two take a moment to catch their breaths. "How did you know I had something to start the fire?" Batman asks.

"The same way I know you have a piece of Kryptonite," Superman answers. The Batman raises an eyebrow under his mask. "You're always prepared, kind of like a boy scout," the Man of Steel clarifies.

The Batman grunts at that comment, and the two get back on their way. They don't take two steps however before the landscape around them turns hazy and begins to blur. Everything around them seems obscured by a wall of smoke for several seconds. When it parts the two realize that they are now standing somewhere else.

They are still in the what has become of the Zone, but they now stand side by side in a small clearing with a large wooden building in front and a high wooden wall running in a circle behind them to the other side of the building. On either side of them are several Zoners armed with crude wooden spears tipped with sharpened rocks, behind them on the wall are several others with primitive short bows all pointed at them, and before them on a small balcony jutting out from the side of the wooden building, is a large muscular humanoid with silver hair that falls from the sides of his head down along his neck on either side, white eyes, and is covered in several bone spikes.

"Doomsday," Superman addresses the creature.

"Yes Superman," he answers. "You should know that I still desire to kill you Superman. However now that I am the ruler of the Zoners, I now have the more important duty of freeing them from their prison. A duty I will use you to achieve. With the help of my queen."

"Queen?" Both heroes ask at once. Almost in answer, from the shadows behind Doomsday steps a tall Kryptonian woman. She has dark braided hair, which almost reaches her legs, long fingernails on agile looking hands, and confidant eyes. Her body is well toned and curved in ways to make men's mouths water, and it is wrapped in a tight black dress. As she steps forward, she smiles and puts a hand on Doomsday's massive arm.

"Yes, his queen," she says with a smirk, "I am Linyn Ur-Yr, the last of the Kryptonian mages."

"That's impossible," Superman says, stepping forward, "There is nothing in the Kryptonian records about any magic users in all of the planet's history."

"I don't see why that surprises you, son of Jor-El," she calmly answers, "Our people believed in logic, and practically worshiped science. They hunted down and silenced all who dared seek that forbidden knowledge. That is until me. By the time I was captured they had discovered something worse than death to punish me with."

"The Phantom Zone," Batman says.

"Yes dark one," Linyn says, looking at him for the first time. "I was the first poor soul sent here. As part of its nature the Zone cut me off from magic, thus it was the perfect prison for me. I have no idea how long I was in this shapeless void. All I could do was continue to try and escape, though every spell I weaved resulted in nothing. As time uncountable slipped by, over and over again, I continued to try and open up a portal to a mini-dimension, one that I knew would be safe and where I could yet again have back my magic arts."

"I'm guessing that you succeeded?" Kal-El asks.

"Even better Superman. When my queen's spell was finally cast, it melded the zone with the mini-dimension. The result, is what you see before you," Doomsday said.

"Yes, I was quite surprised by the dramatic reshaping. And though this place still somehow interferes with my spells, limiting my power, I am told that you can lead us to another world. A world where I will not only be able to draw upon my full magical power, but also who's yellow sun will give me godlike physical abilities. A world where I can rule," she turned her head to look at the spiked villain beside her and caresses his face with her fingers, "with the embodiment of Doom beside me."

"That isn't going to happen, I promise you!" The Man of Steel yells.

"We won't be giving you a choice Superman," Doomsday explains, "Seize them!"

Before the Zoners can move, Batman pulls out two black items from his belt, that open into two double bladed weapons, one he tosses to Superman, the other he readies for the attack. As the Zoners thrust their spears at him, he makes a sweeping motion and slices off the tips. As his opponents move forward, now trying to use their weapons as staffs, the Batman dodges one, parries two others, and delivers a high kick to the chin of a third.

Across the clearing, though lacking the powers he is used to and his friend's considerable skill, Superman his still holds his own. The de-powered Kryptonian still has a strong build, and years of experience in combat. Also he knows pain. While he is usually nigh invulnerable, he has been scorched by alien rays, zapped by electricity, struck by magic, and felt the worst pain he has ever known-Kryptonite. He might not be able to land a blow as well as the Batman, but he can still take them with the best of them. One of the Zoners jabs the butt of his spear into Kent's ribs and is surprised when his enemy simply grunts, and bashes him in the face with a right cross.

Back on the other side the Dark Knight has already dropped all of his attackers and now is being shot at by the bowmen. With more speed and ease than a human has any right to, the Batman scales the wall and begins beating his way down the line of shooters.

As Superman knocks out the last of his spear men he hears a mighty roar as Doomsday leaps down onto the field. The colossal villain advances on the hero, and swings an arm covered in sharp bone blades at him. Superman awkwardly parries the swing and sweeps his weapon across Doomsday's chest. Superman then takes a step back, somewhat surprised that the blade actually cut his opponent's chest, and that blood is slowly pouring from the wound.

Doomsday smiles menacingly "Don't get too excited," he says. Then he steps forward and swings both arms down at the Man of Steel. The hero is just barely able to block the attack, the force of the blow dropping him to one knee.

Having finished off the bowmen, the Batman leaps down, swinging his weapon at Doomsday's exposed flank. The blade cuts a small line down the villain's side, from shoulder to waist. The evil freak of science yells in pain and rage, turning to swing a deadly arm back at his attacker. Using the distraction, Superman moves and sends a kick to his enemy's left knee, which throws him off balance. The Batman then plants his weapon into the ground and uses it as a crutch as he kicks both his feet into Doomsday's face, which forces the villain off his feet.

Their foe isn't on the ground long. Quickly he springs to his feet and eyes the two heroes who circle him, their weapons held at the ready. "Enough!" Linyn shouts. She holds up both her hands, palm out and pointed at the two Leaguers. In a flash, out of each hand a bolt of force leaps out, which hits the heroes and throws them off their feet and back into the wall, hard enough to splinter the wood.

As they slump to the ground, and before they loose conscientiousness, the two both mumble, "I hate magic."

...

_TBC, tell me what you think everybody!_


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to all my reviewers, and a special thanks to my BETA Hepburn!

...

Superman and Batman sit tied together back to back when a bucket of cold water is thrown on them, waking them up. "Good morning my friends," Linyn says to them before dismissing her guards. They are in a dark, wood walled room with a dirt floor.

"Anything broken?" Superman asks his friend.

"No, you?" Batman asks.

"You are both physically fine for the moment," The Mage tells them. "Right now I need to know how to get to your Earth."

"You expect us to tell you?" Superman asks.

Linyn slinks over and places a hand on top of his head, "Not really," she answers. Her eyes begin to glow and Superman suddenly feels exposed. After a few seconds the glow goes away and she removes her hand. "Well Clark, you don't know where the portal is, but you know that Bruce does," she says.

She walks over to Batman and places her hand on his head. "I wouldn't do that," he warns, "my mind can be a dangerous place." She smirks and her eyes begin to glow. A moment later she screams in pain and begins rolling around on the floor. The guards come back in and she composes herself and gives Batman a hate filled glare. "I warned you," he says.

"Impressive for such an inferior species!" she hisses.

The Batman rolls his eyes under his cowl. "So I've been told. Tell me, as a member of a so called superior race, how long do you think the spell will last?" She looks at him confused for a second. "The one you used to make Doomsday fall in love with you?"

There is a tense silence in the room for a handful of moments, until, "Your orders my queen?" one of the guards asks nervously, pointing a spear at the bound heroes.

"Just...make sure they don't escape! I'll be back to interrogate them after I have gotten some rest," she says. As she marches out of the room she yells back, "Get comfortable while you can, when I come back I won't be so nice!"

After she leaves and the bodyguards return to their post outside, Superman says, "Not bad, how did you do it?"

"J'onn has been helping me with some memory recall techniques," he answers, while slowly cutting their bonds with a lock pick he has pulled out of his glove.

"What memory made her react like that?" Superman asks, moving his hands to give him more room.

"The time the Joker strapped me into an electric chair," he answers.

"How did you survive it?"

"It was a slowly rising current," he answers, "he hooked it up to a laugh-o-meter."

"Hah. And Doomsday?"

"He doesn't seem like the love at first sight kinda guy," he answers.

Minuets ticked by as Batman slowly saws throw the thick rope, until Superman says, "Bruce there is something I want to ask you, but I don't know if it would be...appropriate," he finally says.

"Whatever it is, it has to be better than sitting here in silence all night," Batman answers.

"Alright. Did you have sex with Lois?" he asks.

"No," he answers flatly.

"Really, I mean you two were dating?" Superman continues.

"For less than a week," he counters.

"It usually doesn't take her that long," he says.

"Clark, do you remember when you've seen me with my shirt off?" Batman asks.

" Ah...Where is this going?" Superman asks a little nervously.

"Remember that my chest, and most of my body, are covered with scars? Not something you can easily explain to a woman, especially a reporter," Bruce answers. "Why do you want to know?"

"Its just...she is a little more experienced...than I...," he weakly answers. Hearing that, the Batman starts chuckling. "What's so damn funny?!"

"The Man of Steel, worried about his performance," he answers.

"Hey, I don't have my powers when I'm in bed with her, remember? Well you should, because you are the one who made me the red light device," Clark says.

The device he is referring to is a small laser like light, that when used on him fills his cells with light the same wavelength as Krypton's sun, which removes his superpowers until he steps into yellow sunlight, or uses the yellow light switch on the device. "You said it was a great birthday present," Batman counters.

"Oh it was, is. We've...gotten a lot of use out of it," he says, "Though it makes me think that you originally made it in case you had to kill me?"

"Oh no Clark," Batman says, "I have Kryptonite in case I have to kill you."

"Well that make me feel better," he says.

"Clark, if Lois has an issue with you, trust me, she'll tell you," Batman tells his friend, as he finishes cutting through their bonds.

As they toss the cut rope away and get to their feet Superman whispers, "Me or you?"

"You," Batman answers quietly.

As his partner gets into position, Superman opens the door sticks his head out and says, "Hey guys, could you keep it down out here?" before shutting it again and taking a few steps back. A moment later two spear bearing guards burst into the room, their weapons pointed at the Man of Steel.

"How did you get free?!" One of them asks.

"Where's the dark one?" another demands.

In answer, the Batman drops down from the roof on top of them.

...

"So why aren't we a mile away from this place yet?" Superman asks, as he and Batman huddle together in a dark corner of the large wooden fort.

"Because even if we did, there is nothing stopping Mrs. Doomsday from poofing us back here," the Dark Knight answers, as he searches through his recently acquired belt.

"So you have some way of blocking us from her magic?" Superman asks.

"Something like that," he says as he finds what he has been looking for, a piece of white chalk. Looking at it, Superman raises an eyebrow.

To the Kryptonian's stunned eyes, the Batman starts to draw an elaborate symbol on the ground. "You know how to use magic!" he asks in an amazed whisper.

"No. Well...not a lot at least," he answers, "Look Zatanna taught me how to do this not too long ago. She told me to only use it in an extreme emergency and only when I was sure that she was no where near me."

Superman now looks down at the chalk symbol in a way usually reserved for ticking time bombs. "Bruce. What is it supposed to do?"

The Batman looks him in the eye and tells him, "Just be prepared to grab me and run." Next Batman puts the chalk away, takes off his glove, and makes a small cut on his hand. He drops a few drops of his red blood into the center of the symbol, while chanting something that sounds odd under his breath. Before he can do anything to stop his friend, there is a bright flash that blinds him. When sight returns to him, he sees Batman slump over unconscious and hears a loud scream from somewhere that sounds like Linyn.

Without stopping to think, Superman takes up his friend, and flees as quickly as possible.

...

Its a few hours later, and Superman is running in a direction he hopes is towards the Portal (Batman had told him where it was after the jailbreak) when he finds a shadowy spot he thinks is safe to rest. He lays the Dark Knight down on the ground, and then slumps into a sitting position.

After taking a gulp from their now refilled canteen, he empties some of the water on his partner's face, waking him up. "Now do you want to tell me what the hell that was?" he asks.

Batman coughs a bit, and then takes a swig of from the canteen, before answering. " A grounding spell. It is supposed to disrupt ambient magic in an area. Supposedly if a magic user is in the area and unprepared when it goes off, their third eye will be temporarily blinded."

"Temporarily?" Superman asks.

"A day, maybe two at the most," he answers. He reaches inside his belt and pulls out a small device that looks something like a Blackberry, "Good, you've been taking us in the right direction. We should be at the portal and back home in with about two hours of hiking," he says, raising himself up onto wobbly legs.

Kent helps steady him and asks, "And the reason why it knocked you out is?"

The Batman glares at him, "Magic always requires something of the caster. In case of a Zatanna class spell slinger, its her innate energy and will."

"And in case of completely foolish amateurs?" Kent asks.

Bruce glares at him again before answering, "Some vitality. It feels like I've been up for four days, then had to go a couple of rounds with Bane. Nothing I can't shake off. Besides I didn't see you coming up with any ideas."

Superman rolls his eyes, "Couldn't you have just taken a minute to tell me that in the first place?"

"If I had, you would have tried to stop me," he answers, "Now come on, I don't know about you but I have had enough of this place."

...

_TBC. Tell me what you guys think!_


	5. Chapter 5

I want to thank all my reviewers, and as always a very special thanks to my BETA Hepburn, and to her mom who just had a Birthday (Applause!). Now without further ado...

...

As the two heroes walked, Superman noticed that his friend's steps were a bit uneven and shaky, something he was not used to seeing from him. "You sure you're okay, because it looks to me like that spell took more out of you than you think?" He asks.

"I'm fine," Batman answers, "or at least I will be once I get back home. Back to Alfred, Tim, Barbra, Jim, Dick, and especially Diana. And after I get back, if I ever see anything Kryptonian again...except for maybe you...it will be too soon. In fact, you're not Kryptonian anymore. From now on your just a guy from Kansas, who happens to have superpowers."

Superman raised a worried eyebrow at that. "Okay Bruce...um...you want some water?" He asks. The Dark Knight's tired steps stop for a minute, as he takes a swig of liquid.

As the two start again they hear a monstrous bellow from above. Looking up they see a large flat alien creature flying overhead. Hanging from the bottom of it is Doomsday and a small group of spear wielding Zoners, who all drop off to land in front of the heroes.

"Okay, what in God's name is that?!" Superman asks, pointing up at the retreating creature.

"My ex smuggling buddy, Tod," one of the Zoners answers, "Not much for fighting, but he was always a lot of help with the heavy lifting."

"Well...that answers my question," Superman says, "thanks."

"Attack!" Doomsday bellows, and with that they rush at the Leaguers.

"You take ugly, I'll handle his friends," Batman tells his teammate.

"You sure you're..." before Superman can finish the question, the Dark Knight flings a round ball at the ground in front of the spear men on the far side of Doomsday, which erupts in a fiery explosion, and then he takes down one of the advancing Zoners on the other side, with the kind of savagery he usually reserves for clowns. "Alright then."

As the Caped Crusader begins beating down his prey with extreme prejudice, Doomsday and the Man of Steel square off. The villain starts things with a dozen swipes at his enemy's head, the boney blades on his arms missing him by inches. In response, Superman rolls out of the way, and picks up a discarded spear. When his gray clone hacks down at him with a meaty spiked arm, he ducks out of the way and jabs the butt of his spear into his enemy's eye.

Meanwhile, the Batman is terrorizing the henchmen. After he takes the time to break each limb on one of the spear men, most of his still conscious companions decide its more prudent for them to run for it. One of them, however, decides to try and skewer the Dark Knight by leaping at him and plunging his weapon down into his back. To his amazement and horror, the Batman almost seems to glide out of the way, and before the Zoner's feet can hit the ground, the hero grabs him by the neck. "I'm tired, I'm hungry, and I haven't seen my wife in days...because of you!" The Batman tells him in a quiet hate filled voice.

"GAAK! ...I'm...sorry...?" he chokes out. The Batman head-butts him, knocking him out, and drops him to the ground.

Seeing that things have taken a turn for the worst, a Zoner backs up to Doomsday and says, "My King, we are the only ones left."

The villain looks around, and finds that to be true, and stabs the bone blade on his arm...into the last standing spearman. As the man gurgles blood and dies, Doomsday pulls out his spike and wipes the blood off of it before turning to the heroes and telling them, "Leave now."

The two heroes look at each other in shock. "Leave now?! You just murdered one of your own men, and now your telling us to escape! What is this?!" the Man of Steel demands.

"If Linyn was to make it to Earth, she would have more power than the three of us could ever dream of," he answers, "and then she would need me no more."

"And you love her too much to let her go," Batman says.

"Yes." Doomsday says, "Though I doubt my Queen foresaw this when she cast her spell on me."

"You knew?" Superman asks. When his enemy nods the Kryptonian asks, "Then why?"

Doomsday laughs at the question. "Superman, before I met Linyn, the only thing I wanted in all of existence was to destroy you. Now...I have love. Would you be so quick to throw that away?" he asks.

Superman stares dumbfounded at him until Batman shouts, "Superman!" Once he gets his attention he says, "Remember what they say about gift horses? Let's just get the hell out of here."

With that the Man of Steel just shakes his head, and the two run towards home.

...

A team of the Justice League stand in the Fortress of Solitude as the teams leader, Diana of Themyscira tells them, "Alright people, this is a rescue mission. Batman has not made contact for about five hours so there is a chance that he might..." before she can finish her sentence the two heroes jump through the portal and into the room. "Oh. Never mind everybody, everything seems to be handled, and thank you for your...um...willingness to help." At that the rest of the team shrug, and beam out.

She turns to the two and says, "Wow, you both look like you have been dragged through Tatarus, are you alright?"

Superman turns off the projector and in a small voice says, "Yeah," before walking away.

As he does she turns to Batman, who is rolling his eyes under his mask. "Bruce?"

"Its alright, I'll take care of it," he says walking after him.

"You sure?" she asks.

He answers with a wave and keeps walking, thinking as he does, _ First I had to save your life after you got yourself sucked into the Phantom Zone, and now there is something else wrong with you. And they say I'm the one with issues._

When he reaches the Man of Steel, he is standing under a yellow sun lamp, soaking up its power. "Kent, what is it?" the Dark Knight asks, with the sort of bluntness that would make Shayera proud.

Superman shakes his head and chuckles for a second. "Its just...that is it. That's what's left of my people? I mean they are all trapped in some red hell, and I hope to heaven that they stay there. What does that say?"

"Clark. They are not your people," Bruce says. Clark looks at him and he continues, "The Kents are your people. The Daily Planet, the Justice League, they...we are your people. Not the scum in the Phantom Zone. Never forget that."

Clark smiles at him, "Thanks Bruce."

"You're welcome. Now you'd better go see Lois, before she steals a plane and heads for the Artic," Bruce tells him.

Superman laughs, and then in a flash he streaks away.

Then Batman turns to see Wonder Woman standing behind him. "That was pretty sweet of you," she says. He responds with a tired grunt. "Oh, are you tired, my poor baby?" she asks, with a fake concerned voice.

The Batman glares at her for a second, before picking her up off her feet and saying, "I'll show you tired. Tower main, priority WMBC, authorization code Biff Bam Pow!" With that the two transport away.

...

_The end! Everyone, tell me what you think!_


End file.
